as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to "convince" him to pay up
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Recent Examples of gorillas
John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
—
Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
In the wild, gorillas form small, loose social groups.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
Zoo officials said gorillas in the wild typically live between 30 and 40 years, although those in captivity often live longer.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Basically, female gorillas seem to be seeking out their friends when deciding whether or not to make a change, says Robert Seyfarth, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied relationships in animals but wasn't part of this research team.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
When visiting Uganda, perhaps on a journey to see the Silverback gorillas, women are expected to cover their legs, at least to below the knees.
—Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
Brookfield Zoo has relocated its gorillas to prepare them for their new $66 million habitat opening this summer.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Orangutans and gorillas, for instance, are estimated to take approximately 99% of their annual diet from plant sources.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Being able to observe dissections of gorillas, orangutans and other animals from zoos, for example, gave Matternes an excellent grounding as a comparative anatomist who is able to build out the look of a creature from the bones to the skin.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
In the wild, gorillas form small, loose social groups.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
Zoo officials said gorillas in the wild typically live between 30 and 40 years, although those in captivity often live longer.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Basically, female gorillas seem to be seeking out their friends when deciding whether or not to make a change, says Robert Seyfarth, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied relationships in animals but wasn't part of this research team.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
When visiting Uganda, perhaps on a journey to see the Silverback gorillas, women are expected to cover their legs, at least to below the knees.
—Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
Brookfield Zoo has relocated its gorillas to prepare them for their new $66 million habitat opening this summer.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Orangutans and gorillas, for instance, are estimated to take approximately 99% of their annual diet from plant sources.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Being able to observe dissections of gorillas, orangutans and other animals from zoos, for example, gave Matternes an excellent grounding as a comparative anatomist who is able to build out the look of a creature from the bones to the skin.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorillas
Noun
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Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
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As night falls, armed thugs roam the streets and families pick up guns to protect themselves.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Our research suggests that the vast majority of Republican voters want to close loopholes that allow criminals and dangerous people to get their hands on guns.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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The days of letting dangerous criminals terrorize American citizens are over.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Plana played one of the two main villains in Three Amigos.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
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There are true and proper villains (Mordred, Morgan Le Fay).—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There’s also a tropical storm circulating, as if the gangsters flew in from the tropics.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Others are new, building on a genuinely fresh and funny revelation that explains not only a cold open involving yakuza gangsters half a world away in Osaka, but also why this quaint town is sitting on a stash of weaponry big enough to overthrow the governments of several small nations.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The structure is similar to how pirates and privateers once attacked foreign enemies at sea on behalf of their government.—
Rick Bennett,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
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Stevenson’s pirates are a frighteningly murderous and totally untrustworthy bunch, thriving on threats and duplicity.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Also on Monday, Whoopi Goldberg gave a powerful bit of advice to would-be assassins from her post on the talk show.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Sep. 2025
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These are the kinds of terrible questions assassins always raise.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Instead of a sense of outrage leading to a search for a better solution for repeat violent offenders, her death generated calls for collective retribution and vigilante justice.—
Zeynep Tufekci,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gorillas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorillas. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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